Students learn about Russian language and culture
On day five of SCATS, it was amazing to see and hear the campers greet each other in Russian. In just a few short days students were answering questions in Russian about what food item are displayed on the slide and numbers in simple math problems. After greeting and discussing food items, the class got in a circle and followed Russian teacher Ekaterina Myakshina with pointing to the head, elbow, knees, and so on and saying each body part in Russian. It was impressive to hear all the words and phrases each student already knew.
Folklore is an integral part of the culture. Myakshina gave them a picture from a well-known fairy tale and asked them to divide into groups and make up their own tale before revealing the actual story. Students were quite creative with coming up with a tale about the frog wearing a crown. After listening to all the well-crafted stories, the real fairy tale was presented in a video.
Animals were placed on the board and students reviewed their knowledge about what they call a tiger, giraffe, zebra, elephant, penguin, and others. They completed the afternoon with an origami game.
While language is a big part, by the end of the course, students will know more about Russian foods, landscapes, people, and culture.
